Method and apparatus for regulating the operation of steam boiler plants, particularly for deep drilling operations



Jan. 3, 1939. o. H. HARTMANN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE OPERATION OF STEAM BOILER PLANTS, PARTICULARLY FOR DEEP DRILLING OPERATIONS Filed May 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

, INVENTOR OTTO H. HARTMANN ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1939. 5. H. HARTMANN' 2,142,473

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE OPERATION OF STEAM BOILER PLANTS, PARTICULARLY FOR DEEP DRILLING OPERATIONS 7 Filed May 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 22- Offa li a/#77000,

,QMQ BQW A Jffornqys Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REGULAT- ING THE OPERATION OF STEAM BOILER PLANTS,

PARTICULARLY FOR DEEP DRILLING OPERATIONS helmshohe, Germany Application May 21, 1936, Serial No. 81,118 In Germany May 28, 1935 11 Claims.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for regulating the operation of steam boiler plants, particularly for deep drilling operations.

The power requirement for deep drilling varies greatly. The greatest power is necessary on withdrawing the drill rod, which must be done once a day and even more often, and requires up to about two hours for the whole operation. While the power requirement during drilling, including the drive of the flushing pump, amounts to a maximum of approximately 200 H. P., it may amount to 500 H. P. and over during the withdrawal of the rod, varying according to the depth at which drilling is being carried on.

The drill rod is subdivided into sections which can be coupled together by means of sleeves. The drill rod is raised intermittently, the coupling released, the withdrawn section raised. The withdrawal from the well of one rod section, the length of which depends on the height of the drill tower, requires about 30 seconds, while the release of the withdrawn drill section and the reattachment of the socket or clamp for removing the rod take about 1 minute. The drive is regulated during the withdrawal of the rod from the drill table by the foreman who thus regulates the rate of the entire operation.

In a steam power plant the steam engine is usually located in the drill tower, while the boiler plant may be 100 feet or more away. It is therefore desirable to be able also to regulate the feed and rate of steam generation of the boiler from the drill table. This is particularly important for a high pressure boiler plant which, by reason of its cost of construction, can have only a relatively small water content, as the high steam consumption arising during the withdrawing operation is likely to result in a heavy drop in the steam pressure.

The present invention serves to overcome these problems. It consists in arranging the entire control so as to increase the power produced during the drawing of the rod by cutting on" the boiler feed, and on termination of the drawing step again to supply the feed while the engine is inoperative. In this way the boiler is fed in the pauses between two drawing operations, and steam is delivered during each drawing operation from water in a storage chamber, for example, that of the boiler.

The draft for the boiler plant can be generated by the exhaust steam. In this case suiiicient draft is present during the withdrawal step. As soon as any withdrawal step is terminated and the foreman cuts off the steam engine, the feed must begin again immediately, so that the storage chamber again fills with feed water. In order to heat the water which is fed during the pauses between two drawing operations and to increase the steam pressure which will drop somewhat at each operation, an artificial furnace stimulation may be provided, for example by use of a steam blower.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following description, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, showing diagrammatically a steam driven deep drilling installation embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of two elements of the invention showing the fastening means therebetween.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the control rods shown in Fig. 1.

The drilling device includes a drill tower l, a drill table 2, a drill rod 3, a steam engine 4, and a high pressure boiler mechanism 5 including a storage chamber or cylinder 6. As a rule, two steam engines are provided, one of which drives the turntable of the drilling appliances, while the other operates the flushing pump. During the withdrawal of the rod, both engines are coupled together for driving the lifting mechanism. The lifting apparatus and the truntable are disposed in any well known manner on the drill table, and are not shown for the sake of clearness. For a showing of these arrangements, reference is made to the British patent to Zimmerman, No. 215,723, August 28, 1924, in which the mounting upon the drill table, and the driving of the flushing pump is shown, and to pages 48 to 58 of Die Gewinnung des Erdols durch Bohren by Glinz and Wolfi, published by Hirzel, Leipzig, 1932, which show the use of a plurality of engines.

Provided on the drill table is a control lever I which is connected by a rod 8 with the control mechanism or valve gear 9 of steam engine 4.

The gear 9 is mounted on engine main shaft 32, This heater l3, from which an exhaust steam passage l4 further leads to a blowpipe IS in the gas flue of the boiler 5. The feed water is supplied to the preheater' 13 by means of a feed pump I6 through passage II. In the preheater, the feed water passes in heat exchange relation with the exhaust steam. A valve 18 is provided in the passage l'l between the feed pump and the preheater. A feed water pipe [9 passes from preheater l3 to the boiler cylinder 6. An auxiliary steam passage 20 is branched off from the live steam passage I0 and connects with the exhaust steam passage 12. A controllable valve 2| and a pressure reducing valve 52 are provided in this branch nine 20.

The two valves, 18 in the feed pipe and 2| in the auxiliary pipe are actuated by a control lever 22 (see also Fig. 3) which is rotatable about the axis 23 of control lever l and can be coupled therewith, for example, by means of a pin 53 passing through both levers. Control lever 22 is connected with a rod 24, with which the Valves I8 and 2| are operatively connected by levers 25, 26 respectively.

During drilling the control lever 22 is disconnected from main control lever l. The foreman can thus vary the power of the engine without affecting the rate of boiler feed. The valve [8 in the pressure passage ll of feed pump I6 is open and also the valve 2i in auxiliary steam passage 20 is open. The feed may take place in the usual manner according to the Water level in the boiler cylinder.

In order to withdraw the rod, the lever 22 is connected with the main control lever 1 by pin 53. On suitably moving the lever in a direction to admit steam to the engine, the valve I8 in feed pipe ll is closed and the feed of water is then out off, as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time valve 2! in passage 20 is closed. The fire in the boiler furnace is highly stimulated by the exhaust steam of the engine flowing to nozzle l5 and the necessary steam will be generated in the storage cham ber of the boiler. On termination of the withdrawal, the foreman cuts off the engine. Valve IS in feed pipe I! is thereby opened and the feed again takes place. At the same time the valve 2| in auxiliary steam passage 20, is opened. The steam passing from the auxiliary steam pipe under reduced pressure to the exhaust pipe M then produces the blowing action in the blower which is necessary for stimulating the furnace fire. At the same time, the live steam supplies more heat to the feed water in the preheater. It is thus possible during the short intervals between withdrawal operations to produce quickly enough steam for the next withdrawing step.

During sinking of the rod, the control lever 22 is disconnected from main control lever I. Not much steam is consumed in the sinking, so that it is not necessary to out off the boiler feed during this operation.

If the storage chamber of the boiler cylinder is too small for generating sufiicient steam while withdrawing the rod, a feed storage chamber may be provided in any known manner.

The steam blower may be constructed as an annulus, as is usual in locomotive construction, which encompasses the exhaust nozzles.

In the plant illustrated the different valves are shown as actuated by means of rods. The movement can be transmitted from the operators position also indirectly, that is, in known manner through a servo-motor by means of compressed air, water under pressure, oil under pressure, elec-.

tricity and the like, in order to avoid the use of rods of excessive length and too great play.

While I have described herein one embodiment of my invention, I wish it to. be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a drilling apparatus having a steam driven rod withdrawing mechanism and a steam generating plant including a storage chamber connected to said mechanism to supply steam thereto for operating the same, means to feed water to the storage chamber, means to conduct steam from the storage chamber to the withdrawing mechanism to operate the same, and control means for simultaneously cutting oiI the feed of water to the storage chamber and for operating said withdrawing mechanism, and for rendering said withdrawing mechanism inoperative and feeding water to the storage chamber, whereby during the periods in which said withdrawal mechanism is operated no feed water enters said storage chamber.

2'. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said steam generating plant includes a furnace, means to conduct steam from said storage chamber to said furnace for artificially stimulating the same, said control means opening said conducting means to the furnace when the withdrawing mechanism is inoperative, and closing the conducting means to the furnace when the withdrawal mechanism is operative.

3. In a drilling apparatus having a rod withdrawing mechanism, a steam engine connected to said withdrawing mechanism to operate the same, and a steam generating plant including a storage chamber, means connecting said storage chamber to said engine to conduct steam thereto for operating the withdrawing mechanism, means to feed Water to the storage chamber, and control means for simultaneously rendering said feeding means inoperative to feed water to the storage chamber and for regulating said engine, and for rendering said feeding means operative to feed water to the storage chamber when said engine is inoperative, whereby during the periods in which said withdrawal mechanism is operated no feed water enters said storage chamber.

4. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said steam generating plant includes a furnace, means to conduct exhaust steam from said engine to the furnace, means to conduct steam from said storage chamber to said furnace for artificially stimulating the same, said control means further opening said last conducting means to the furnace when the engine is inoperative, and closing said last conducting means to the furnace when the engine is operative.

5. In a deep drilling installation including a rod withdrawing mechanism and a steam power plant including an engine for driving the same, and having a drilling table, said steam power plant including a boiler, means to feed water to the boiler, and means to conduct steam from said boiler to said engine, a controf arrangement on said drilling table, and means connected to said control arrangement for simultaneously cutting off the feed of water to the boiler and for regulating the valves of said engine, whereby during withdrawal of the rod the feed of water to the boiler may be cut off, while the steam is supplied to the engine, whereas during pauses in the withdrawal the water is fed to the boiler.

6. In a device as claimed inclalm 5 in which said boiler includes a furnace, means for artificially stimulating said furnace in the pauses between the drawing operations.

'7. In a device as claimed in claim 5, in which said boiler includes a furnace, means for artificially stimulating said furnace in the pauses between the drawing operations, said last means including means to supply steam from the boiler to the furnace.

8. In a drilling installation including a drilling table, a rod withdrawing mechanism, a steam engine connected to said rod withdrawing mechanism for operating the same, a storage chamber, means to conduct steam from said storage chamher to said steam engine, means for supplying feed water to said storage chamber, control means for regulating the flow of steam to said engine, a valve in said feed water supply means, a control lever on said drill table, means connecting said lever to said steam engine control means for operating the same, means for selectively connecting said control lever to said valve, whereby upon operation of said lever to stop the engine said valve is opened so that feed water may pass to said storage chamber, while when said first lever is moved to position. to operate the engine said valve is closed so that no water is fed to said storage chamber.

9. In a drilling installation including a drilling table, a rod withdrawing mechanism, a steam engine connected to said rod withdrawing mechanism for operating the same, a boiler, said boiler including a storage chamber, means to conduct steam from said storage chamber to said steam engine, a furnace for heating said storage chamber, and a gas flue leading from said furnace, means for supplying feed water to said storage chamber, means for conducting exhaust steam from said engine to the gas flue of the furnace to stimulate the fire of the furnace, control means for regulating the flow of steam to said engine, a valve in said feed water supply means, a control lever on said drill table, means connecting said lever to said steam engine control means for operating the same, and means for selectively connecting said lever to said valve, whereby upon operation of said lever to stop said engine said valve is opened so that feed water may pass to said storage chamber, while when said first lever is moved to a position to supply steam to the engine said valve is closed so that no water is fed to said storage chamber.

10. In a drilling installation including a drilling table, a rod withdrawing mechanism, a steam engine connected to said rod withdrawing mechanism for operating the same, a boiler, said boiler including a storage chamber, means to conduct steam from said storage chamber to said steam engine, a furnace for heating said storage chamber, and a gas flue leading from said furnace, means for supplying feed water to said storage chamber, means for conducting exhaust steam from said engine to the gas flue of the furnace to stimulate the fire of the furnace, a shunt connecting said first conducting means and said second conducting means around said engine, control means for regulating the flow of steam to said engine, a valve in said feed water supply means, a valve in said shunt, a control lever on said drill table, means connecting said lever to said steam engine control means for operating the same, and means for selectively connecting said lever to said valves, whereby upon operation of said lever to stop said engine said valves are opened sothat feed water may pass to said storage chamber and steam may pass to the gas fiue of the furnace to stimulate the fire therein, while when said first lever is moved to a position to supply steam to the engine said valves are closed so that no water is fed to said storage chamber.

11. In a drilling installation including a drilling table, a rod withdrawing mechanism, a steam engine connected to said rod withdrawing mechanism for operating the. same, a boiler, said boiler including a storage chamber, means to conduct steam from said storage chamber to said steam engine, a furnace for heating" said storage chamber, and a gas flue leading from said furnace, a feed water preheater, means connecting said preheater to said storage chamber, a pump, means for conducting feed water from said pump through said preheater to said storage chamber, means for conducting exhaust steam from said engine to said feed Water preheater into heat exchange relation with the feed water therein, means for con-ducting the exhaust steam from the feed water preheater to the gas flue of the furnace to stimulate the fire of the furnace, a shunt connecting said first conducting means and said exhaust conducting means between said engine and said preheater around said engine, control means for regulating the fiow of steam to said engine, a valve in said feed water conducting means between said pump and saidfeed water preheater, a valve in said shunt, a control lever on said drill table, means connecting said lever to said steam engine control means for operating the same, a second lever pivoted on the same axis as said first lever, means for selectively connecting said two levers together, and means connecting said second lever to said two valves, whereby when said levers are connected together upon operation of said first lever to stop said engine said valves are opened so that feed water may pass to said storage chamber and steam may pass to the gas fiue of the furnace to stimulate the fire therein, while when said first lever is moved to a position to supply steam to the engine said valves are closed so that no water is fed to said storage chamber.

OTTO H. HARTMANN. 

